Is Tapville Social or First Watch cheaper to open?

Tapville Social costs $751,250–$2,495,800 and First Watch costs $1,210,150–$2,028,800 to open (FDD Item 7). Tapville Social has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Tapville Social or First Watch?

FranchiseVerdict grades Tapville Social B and First Watch A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Tapville Social vs First Watch

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Tapville Social and First Watch are full-service restaurants franchises. Tapville Social requires an investment of $751K – $2.5M while First Watch requires $1.2M – $2.0M. Tapville Social discloses average revenue of $2.4M; First Watch makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Note: Company-owned outlets only - not franchisee performance; Based on a single outlet - not a system average. FranchiseVerdict rates Tapville Social B (Above average) and First Watch A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Tapville Social	First Watch
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$751K – $2.5M	$1.2M – $2.0M
Franchise Fee	$45K	$40K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$2.4MCompany-owned only · n=1	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	Limited data
Total Units	36	474
Unit Growth (YoY)	+14 units	+14 units
Year Began Franchising	2019	2008
FDD Year	2025	2023